Container for marine transportation of a large-sized, massive cargo

ABSTRACT

A container for marine transportation of a large-sized, massive cargo is provided for use with a container-destined vessel which has its hold divided by cell guides into unit areas for placement of standard-sized containers therein. The container comprises a plate-like container body having an area corresponding to the total area of more than one standard-sized containers. The body has corner fixtures at its four corners and at positions on both longitudinal sides which correspond to cell guide positions, each fixture having an aperture for engagement with a spreader. The fixtures located on both sides are formed notched recesses to avoid interference with projections on corresponding cell guides. The body includes a floor plate which is formed along the periphery and in the central portion thereof with a number of detent holes for mounting stoppers and attachment holes for fastening ropes. Stoppers mounted in selected detent holes fittingly engage the outer extremities of a wooden frame on the floor plate on which is a cargo is placed. Fastening ropes connected to the cargo are clamped in the attachment holes.

United States Patent Tayama Aug. 7, 1973 [76] inventor: Eisei Tayama, 3155-93,

Mutsuuracho, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan [22] Filed: Jan. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 216,485

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 14, 1971 Japan 46/38776 [52] US. Cl. 108/161, 108/51 [51] Int. Cl A47b l3/00 [58] Field of Search 108/51-58; 214/10; 248/120; 294/67; 220/15 [56] References Cited UN1TED STATES PATENTS 3,480,174 11/1969 Sherwood 220/1.S 3,242,883 3/1966 Arunis 108/52 3,157,424 11/1964 Hall 294/67 1,742,384 1/1930 Fitzgerald, Jr.. 108/51 X 2,692,064 10/1954 Koester 108/55 X 2,828,931 4/1958 Harvey 108/54 x 2,992,802 7/1961 Spillios 248/120 3,119,357 1/1964 Kirsch et a1... 108/51 3,147,860 10/1964 Kean et a1 206/62 3,620,388 11/1971 Mansson ..214/l0.5R

Primary ExaminerJames T. McCall Assistant Examiner-Glenn O. Finch Attorney-Robert E. Burns et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A container for marine transportation of a large-sized, massive cargo is provided for use with a containerdestined vessel which has its hold divided by cell guides into unit areas for placement of standard-sized containers therein. The container comprises a plate-like container body having an area corresponding to the total area of more than one standard-sized containers. The body has corner fixtures at its four corners and at positions on both longitudinal sides which correspond to cell guide positions, each fixture having an aperture for engagement with a spreader. The fixtures located on both sides are formed notched recesses to avoid interference with projections on corresponding cell guides. The body includes a floor plate which is formed along the periphery and in the central portion thereof with a number of detent holes for mounting stoppers and attachment holes for fastening ropes. Stoppers mounted in selected detent holes fittingly engage the outer extremities ofa wooden frame on the floor plate on which is a cargo is placed. Fastening ropes connected to the cargo are clamped in the attachment holes.

3 Claims, 8 Drawlng Flgures PATENTED 3. 750.599

sum 2 OF 6 w. '1 a. E iajsa -1 PAIENIE AUG 71m SHEET 3 [IF 6 CONTAINER FOR MARINE TRANSPORTATION OF A LARGE-SIZED, MASSIVE CARGO BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a container for transportation of large-sized, massive cargo which permits the cargo to be loaded in admixture with ordinarily-sized containers within the hold of a ship destines for use with containers even when the cargo is of a size in excess of the slot or area defined by cell guides.

Normally the hold of a container-destined ship is provided with vertical frame members called cell guides, four of which are positioned as a set so as to define the four corners of an area slightly in excess of an ordinary container size for placement of a container therein. The cell guides are shaped and dimensioned to fit a 20 feet container (8 X 8 X20 feet) according to the inter national standards. Where a massive cargo of a size exceeding this dimension is to be transported, it is impossible for such massive cargo to be received within the area defined by the cell guides. As a consequence, there resulted a need for fabrication of a special instrument every time such large-sized cargo must be transported, thereby disadvantageously involving a considerable amount of trouble and time.

The inventor now proposes a novel container for marine transportation of a large-sized, massive cargo which avoids the above disadvantage by allowing such cargo having an external size exceeding the slot" dimension to be loaded within the hold of a containerdestined ship in admixture with other ordinary cargoes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a container for marine transportation of large-sized, massive cargo which can be loaded together with ordinary containers within the hold of a container-destined ship.

The above object is accomplished in accordance with the invention by providing a plate-like container body having an area corresponding to the area of more than one containers of an ordinary size and having a strength capable of bearing the weight of a large-sized, massive cargo to be placed thereon. The container body is formed with a plurality of corner fixtures at its four corners and at positions on both longitudinal sides thereof which corresponds to cell guide positions. Each of the corner fixtures has an aperture therein for engagement with a spreader. The corner fixtures located on both longitudinal sides of the body are each formed with a notched recess for allowing projections on the cell guides to extend therethrough. The floor plate of the container body is formed with a great number of detent holes for monnting stoppers and attachment holes for fastening ropes along the periphery and in the central portion thereof. Stoppers are mounted in selected detent holes for fitting engagement with the outer extremities of a wooden frame to secure the latter on the floor plate of the container. A massive cargo is placed on the wooden frame and is secured in position by means of fastening ropes which are fastened to the selected attachment holes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the container for marine transportation of a large-sized, massive cargo constructed according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the container,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sections taken along the lines A A and B B, respectively, shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing a stopper and a part of the wooden frame mounted on the container,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a mounting structure for the fastening rope,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the cell structure of a containerdestined ship, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the container constructed according to the invention for loading a large-sized, massive cargo in admixture with ordinary containers within the hold.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION For purpose of illustration only, the invention will be described below with reference to a particular container that is dimensioned for transportation of a largesized, massive cargo corresponding to three 20 feet containers.

Referring to the drawings, a platelike container body is generally shown at 1, and includes transverse principal strength members 2 extending lengthwise of a single 20 feet container and longitudinal principal strength members 3 extending in a direction perpendicular to the transverse members 2. The transverse and longitu dinal members 2 and 3 are joined together to form a container frame, which also includes several reinforcing members 4 disposed at an equal lateral interval and extending longitudinally. Floor plate of steel 5 is applied across the top of the container frame. The container body 1 further includes comer fixtures 6 located at the four corners and at positions on both longitudinal sides of the container body I which correspond to normal cell guide positions. Each of the corner fixtures 6 has an aperture 7 therein for engagement with a spreader. To avoid interference with projections 8' on cell guides 8, each of the comer fixtures 6 located on both longitudinal sides of the container body I is formed with a notched recess 9. The floor plate 5 is formed therein with a great number of detent holes 10 along the periphery and in the central portion thereof, and stoppers II have their hook members 12 detachably engaged with selected detent holes 10 for fitting engagement with the outer extremities of a wooden frame 13 which is to be secured on the floor plate 5. In addition, the floor plate 5 is formed therein with a number of rope attachment holes 14 along the periphery and in the central portion thereof. At each of the holes 14, the floor plate 5 has a pin 15 secured to the inner side thereof, and such pin 15 is engaged by a U shaped metal fitting 18 at one end of a fastening rope 17, the other end of which is fastened to a massive cargo 16 for which the container of the invention is intended. Numeral l9 denote a pair of stopper receiving plates arranged on the opposite sides of the container body 1, and stoppers, when not in use, are retained thereon by engaging the hook rod 12 of the stopper 1! with an opening 20 and by threadably engaging the thumbscrew 21 extending through the stopper with a threaded aperture in the plate 19.

In use, the centrally located four corner fixtures 6 of the container body 1 are fastened with spreaders usually employed with 20 feet containers, and through the suspension shifting operation of these spreaders, the container body 1 is loaded on top of ordinary containers 23, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 8, already located within the cell guides of the hold. Then the largesized, massive cargo 16 is raised by a crane and gently deposited on the novel container so as to locate it in a stable manner within the wooden frame 13 which is secured on the floor plate by means of the stoppers l1. Fastening ropes 17 are now attached to the cargo l6 and fastened to pins 15 in suitable attachment holes 14, thereby securing the cargo 16 against both lateral and longitudinal displacement. The container and the cargo are now ready for marine transportation. It should be understood that the manner in which the wooden frame 13 is used depends on the variety of the massive cargo that is to be positioned on the container of the invention. The frame 13 is shown to surround the cargo, but alternatively, the cargo may be placed the frame which then serves as a basement. The sole function of the wooden frame 13 is to secure the cargo 16 in position and to prevent its displacement during transportation.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the container according to the invention has an area in excess of slot area of a cell-structured container ship and corresponding to more than one ordinary containers, and a sufficient mechanical strength to bear a massive cargo, which strength is provided by a container frame comprising transverse and longitudinal principal strength members together with a floor plate of steel applied thereon. The novel container allows a iargesized, massive cargo which heretofore could not have been received in a container to be shipped with a relatively simple operation, thereby achieving a substantial reduction in loading or unloading time period and the number of working personnel. The corner fixtures on both longitudinal sides of the container body are formed with notched recesses to avoid interference with the projections on the cell guides, and the corner fixtures of the container body abut against the cell guides in the usual manner, whereby the container of the invention which may be as large as the total size of several ordinary containers can readily be received within the hold and thus enables transportation of a large-sized, massive cargo by a cell-structured container ship. In addition, the provision of the corner fixtures and notched recesses therein facilitates exact positioning and smooth removal of the container, and furthermore serves, together with the fixation of the cargo-receiving'wooden frame by means of s stoppers and the use of fastening ropes to secure the cargo, assuring against any displacement of the massive cargo in any direction as a result of pitching and rolling motion of the marine vessel, and thus enabling a safe marine transportion of a large-sized, massive cargo.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A container arrangement in a container ship comprising, means defining a plurality of container cells each having an open top in a hold of a ship, a plurality of upstanding, rigid guides spaced from each other along side boundaries of said container cells, a fabricated skid having means defining paired lateral projections defining therebetween spaced, peripheral, vertical channels on opposite sides of said skid for receiving therein individual ones of said guides when said skid is lowered into a corresponding container cell through the open top of the cell, and said guides having mechanical strength to sustain lateral loading by said skid in a loaded condition, whereby said skid is held in position within said container cell.

2. A container arrangement in a container ship according to claim 1, in which said skid comprises an upper surface having means for mounting paired stops for holding individual frame members removably therebetween, each pair of stops being disposed at opposite ends of the individual frame members, said frame members being disposed in a horizontal position for securing a load on said upper surface.

3. A container arrangement in a container ship according to claim 1, in which said upstanding guides comprise four of said guides disposed defining four corners of a container cell, and said skid having four projections on four corners thereof extending therefrom on the same sides as said lateral projections, and said four projections defining surfaces abutting side surfaces of said guides for holding said skid within said container cell.

t I i it t 

1. A container arrangement in a container ship comprising, means defining a plurality of container cells each having an open top in a hold of a ship, a plurality of upstanding, rigid guides spaced from each other along side boundaries of said container cells, a fabricated skid having means deFining paired lateral projections defining therebetween spaced, peripheral, vertical channels on opposite sides of said skid for receiving therein individual ones of said guides when said skid is lowered into a corresponding container cell through the open top of the cell, and said guides having mechanical strength to sustain lateral loading by said skid in a loaded condition, whereby said skid is held in position within said container cell.
 2. A container arrangement in a container ship according to claim 1, in which said skid comprises an upper surface having means for mounting paired stops for holding individual frame members removably therebetween, each pair of stops being disposed at opposite ends of the individual frame members, said frame members being disposed in a horizontal position for securing a load on said upper surface.
 3. A container arrangement in a container ship according to claim 1, in which said upstanding guides comprise four of said guides disposed defining four corners of a container cell, and said skid having four projections on four corners thereof extending therefrom on the same sides as said lateral projections, and said four projections defining surfaces abutting side surfaces of said guides for holding said skid within said container cell. 